Chair for group photography



1953 M. A. STEWART CHAIR FOR GROUP PHOTOGRAPHY 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Dec. 12, 1952 g m 3 o w n R W 6 3 0 NE T 00 a o I w W O NA 1 5 1 0 4 5 Y 54a R s M 0 I H H; I 0 4 U00 3 v 7 o 7 J 3 III MM .0 07 O 9 0 H3 .|\\U 1 Z Z q Q o J D o o I I 0 II I I I o 0 n i O 2 7 Z8 3 I 6 ml 6 r0 7 3 5 i Z 5 0 III I I I S I 0 r0 0 3 I I 2 Jr 5 z z 2 I Z I 6 z 3 o I v II I 4 Q 2 b 4 7h 3 7& ATTORNEY Nov. 10, 1953 M. A. STEWART CHAIR FOR GROUP PHOTOGRAPHY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 12, 1952 m w & T S m A 1 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHAIR FOR GROUP PHOTOGRAPHY Mary A. Stewart, Canandaigua, N. Y.

Application December 12, 1952, Serial N 0. 325,580

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in photographic posing chairs and has particular reference to an improved chair for use in group photography.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a group posing chair embodying a plurality of seats interconnected with each other in such manner as to permit selective adjustment thereof to differently related positions, including the varying of the height of each seat independently of the other and the folding of the various component parts of the chair into compact relation with each other when not in use.

Another object is to provide a photographic posing chair embodying a plurality of interconnected seats wherein one of said seats is supported by spaced upright members interconnected by a transverse member, one of said upright members having a plurality of seat-supporting members pivotally connected therewith and the other upright member having a plurality of seat-supporting members pivotally connected therewith whereby the respective pivotally supported seats may be adjusted laterally to different positions relative to said first-mentioned seat, the plurality of adjustable supports and seats being so controlled dimensionally as to enable the various component parts of the device to be folded into compact relation with each other when the chair is not in use and without requiring segregation of said parts.

Another object is to provide a chair of the above character wherein the various pivotally adjustable seat supports may be secured in desired positional relation with each other.

Another object is to provide a main upright support having a plurality of seat-supporting members pivotally connected therewith and a forwardly extending arm with a depending foot portion secured thereto and to which a plurality of additional seat-supporting members are pivotally connected whereby the said seats may be adjusted laterally to different related positions with respect to each other, said for wardly extending arm having a seat attached thereto and each of said seats being independently adjustable to different desired heights relative to their respective supporting members.

Another object is to provide a back rest carried by the main seat-supporting member and which may be adjusted to a substantially horizontally disposed position to enable said back rest to be used as an additional seat, if desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent. from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and it will be apparent that many changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction and arrangement of parts shown and described as the preferred form only has been given by way of illustration.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a three-quarter perspective view of the front of the device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1 and showing the parts in one related position of use;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device showing the various component parts in folded compact relation with each other;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the back rest of Fig. I adjusted rearwardly to form an auxiliary seat portion;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as on line 5-5 of Fig 2 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as on line 6-6 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

The broad idea of providing seating devices for group photography is not new in the art.

Such prior art devices, however, as far as is known, embodied separate component parts which, when put to use, involved the long and tedious task of interfitting and securing the parts together. When assembled, the parts were held in fixed relation with each other and could not be varied. Another disadvantage was possible error in initial grouping of the parts and, when disassembled, a further disadvantage was the constant danger of misplacement and loss of parts.

One of the primary objects, therefore, of the present invention is to overcome all of the above difficulties and disadvantages by providing an improved chair of the above character wherein the various component parts are all permanently interconnected with each other with a view to overcoming possible misplacement and loss of parts and having said interconnections so formed as to permit free adjustment of the parts to differently desired positional relations and to further permit the parts to be folded into compact relation with each other for ease in shipping or storing when the device is not in use.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views, the device embodying the invention comprises a main upright I having a back rest 3 hingedly connected therewith, as illustrated at 9. The hinge member comprises a nut portion I 9 having a transverse groove therein for receiving a rod II attached to the rear of the back rest. The nut I functions cooperatively with a clamp screw I2 having a lever 13 thereon. The screw extends through a perforated tongue I4 on the upper end of the upright I to clampingly secure the rod II in adjusted position. Adjustments are made by moving the lever I3 to a position to loosen the clamp 9 sufficiently to permit the rod II to be slid relative to the nut portion In or tilted about the axis of the clamp screw I2, after which the lever is again moved to a position to tighten the clamp 6 and hold the parts in adjusted position. When tilted about the axis of the clamp screw I2, as illustrated in 4, the back rest 8 may be used as an auxiliary seat.

In addition to the above adjustments, the back rest support is provided with a depending portion 69 fitted in telescoped relation with the upper end of the main tubular upright I and is held in adjusted position by a set screw 16. By loosening the set screw, the depending portion may be moved upwardly or downwardly to raise or lower the back rest after which the set screw is again tightened. A plurality of horizontally disposed tie members I5, I6, and H are pivotally attached to the main upright I by sleeves I8, I9, and 26, as shown best in Fig. 1. The tie members I and I6 each comprise angularly disposed portions 2| and 22, and 23 and 24 respectively which are held in connected relation with each other by suitable elbows 25 and 26. The angularly disposed portions ill and 22 or 23 and 24, as the case may be, are threadedly connected with their respective sleeve portions I6 and I9 and with the elbows 25 and 26, and the said portions 2| and 24 are in turn, threadedly connected with suitable T members 21 and 2B. The T members 21 and 28 each have a foot portion 29 and 39 threadedly connected therewith in a manner similar to the construction illustrated in section in Fig. 5. The lower ends of the main upright 'I and the depending foot portions 29 and 39 all have a suitable flange 3| secured thereto.

The sleeve portions I 8 and I9 are each provided with a clamp screw 32 and 33 whereby they may be locked in binding relation with the main upright I to hold them against rotary movement when desired. The respective T members 21 and 28 have a threaded bore adapted to receive threaded stems 34 and 35 of seat members 36 and 31. The threaded stems 34 and 35 are each provided with an upper flange which is secured to the undersides of the seats by screws or the like in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 5.

The tie member I'I attached to the sleeve is connected with a T member 38 carrying an upright 39 to which a seat 46 is adjustably connected. The member I1 and upright 39 are threadedly connected with the T member 38 and the member IT is also threadedly connected with the sleeve 26. The T member 38 further has an outwardly extending portion 4I threadedly connected thereto and to an elbow 42 which, in turn, has a depending foot portion 43 threadedly connected therewith. The foot portion 43 has a flange 44 on the lower end thereof similar to the flange 3|. The depending foot portion 43 has a pair of sleeves 45 and 46 rotatably connected thereto and to which tie members 41 and 48 are threadedly connected. Each of the sleeves 45 and 46 are provided with lock screws 49 and 56 for retaining said sleeves in desired adjusted position. The tie members 4! and 48 are respectively threadedly connected at the outer ends thereof to T members SI and 52 each having a depending foot portion 53 and 54 connected therewith. The lower ends of the foot portions 53 and 54 are each provided with a flange 55 and 56 similar to the flanges 3| and 44. The T members 5I and 52, as well as the members 21 and 28 previously described above, each have a construction similar to the showing in Fig. 5, that is, they are each provided with internally threaded portions such as 51, 58, and 59. The various tie members, like the tie member 41, are threadedly connected as with the internally threaded portion 59 while the upper threaded portions such as 51 have a plug 60 threadedly connected therein. The plug 60 has a threaded bore 6| for receiving the threaded stem 62 to which a seat 63 is secured by a flange 64. The flange 64 is secured to the seat by screws or the like 65. The seat 63, as well as the seat 66 carried by the threaded stem 61 and the seats 36, 3'! and 40 all have a construction similar to that set forth in connection with Fig. 5. Each threaded stem is provided with a depending unthreaded portion II, which, if the stems are threaded upwardly to maximum height, the seats will not fall to the floor. The various depending foot portions 36, 39, 43, 53 and 54 are each connected with their respective T members as by threading the upper end thereof inwardly of an internally threaded portion like 58, see Fig. 5.

Due to the fact that the various seat portions are threadedly connected with their respective foot or upright portions, the said seats may be raised or lowered as desired.

It is further pointed out that the upright 29 is initially taller than the upright 30 but its upper end is at a level beneath the seat 40 as supported by the upright 39. The seat 63 is, in turn, at a level lower than the seat 35 and the seat 66 is at a level lower than the seat 63. This is brought about by initially controlling the height of the respective uprights and is to enable the folding of the seats into adjacent compact relation with each other when not in use. It is further pointed out that the tie members 41 and 48 are controlled in length so as to enable the respective seats 63 and 66 to be swung rearwardly into adjacent relation with the main upright "I, as shown in Fig. 3. This is brought about by loosening the lock screws 49 and 50 thereby permitting the sleeves 45 and 46 to rotate on the depending portion 43. It is further pointed out that the seat 46, when the various seats are being folded into compact relation with each other remains preferably in a fixed position and that the seats 63 and 66 fold to a position rearwardly of said seat 40 and the seats 36 and 31 fold to a position forwardly of the seat 40.

The seats 36 and 3'! are adjusted forwardly and into adjacent relation with each other by loosening the respective lock screws 32 and 33 whereby the depending foot portions 29 and 30 may be swung forwardly. It is further pointed out that the angularly disposed tie members I5 and I6 are controlled as to length and angular relation so as topermit said seats 36 and 31 to be folded, as

ease of storing when the device is not in use and does not require the detachment of any of the component parts whereby they might be misplaced and lost.

As shown in Figs, 1 and 2, the various seats may be swung outwardly to different positional relations with each other. The various pivotal connections are each constructed, as shown in Fig. 6.

'It is pointed out that the tie member l6, similar to the various other tie members, is threadedly connected to its sleeve portion IS. The sleeve is rotatably supported on the upright 1 and is provided with a lock screw 33 for securing the sleeve against rotary movement when desired. A tubular spacer member 68 is shown intermediate the sleeves l3 and IQ for normally holding said sleeves in proper spaced relation with each other. This spacer means may be dispensed with if desired.

While the various tie members have been described above as being controlled in length and the uprights as being controlled as to related heights so as to enable the various seats to be folded into compact relation with each other, it is further pointed out that this controlling of the length of tie members and heights of uprights also enables those seats which are not in immediate use to be folded to an inoperative position. For example, if the group only comprises three individuals, the seats 63 and 6B or 36 and 31,

as the case may be, might be folded to a position where they may not be visible in the photograph.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that simple, efficient and economical means have been provided for accomplishing all the objects and advantages of the invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising two upright members joined by a transverse member, a seat supported by said transverse member, a plurality of supporting members adjustably connected with each of said main upright members, and seats adjustably mounted on said supporting members, said supporting members being movable to different positional relations with respect to said upright members including the folding thereof into compact relation with each other when the device is not in use.

2. A device of the character described comprising two upright members joined by a transverse member, a seat supported by said transverse member, a plurality of supporting members pivotally connected with each of said main upright members, and seats adjustably mounted on said supporting members, said supporting members being movable about their respective pivots to different positional relations with respect to said upright members including the folding thereof into compact relation with each other when the device is not in use.

3. A device of the character described comprising a main upright member, a second upright member spaced forwardly of said main upright member, a transverse member joining said upright members, a seat supported by said transverse member, a plurality of supporting members movably connected with each of said upright members, and seats adjustably mounted on said supporting members, said supporting members being movable to different positional relations with respect to said upright members including the folding thereof into compact relation with each other when the device is not in use.

4. A device of the character described comprising two upright members fixedly spaced relative to each other by a transverse member, a seat adjustably supported by said transverse member, a plurality of supporting members pivotally connected with each of said upright members, and seats adjustably mounted on said supporting members, said supporting members being movable about their respective pivots to different positional relations with respect to said upright members including the folding thereof into compact relation with each other when the device is not in use.

5. A device of the character described comprising a main upright having a back rest adjustably secured to the upper end thereof, a second upright spaced forwardly of the main upright, a tie member joining said uprights, a seat supported by said tie member, a pair of supports pivotally connected with each of said uprights and positioned on the opposite sides thereof, and seats adjustably mounted on said supports, said seat supports being movable about their respective pivots to different forward or rearward positions relative to their respective uprights, said supports and said seats being so dimensioned as to be foldable into compact relation with the uprights when the device is not in use.

6. A device of the character described comprising a main upright, a second upright spaced forwardly of the main upright, a horizontally disposed tie member joining said uprights and; retaining them in substantially fixed spaced relation with each other, a vertically disposed support on said tie member, a seat adjustably connected to said vertically disposed support, a pair of seat supports pivotally connected with said main upright and each being movable in an arc toward and away from said second upright, a pair of seat supports pivotally connected with said second upright and each being movable in an arc toward and away from said main upright, and seats adjustably mounted on said seat supports.

7. A device of the character described comprising a main upright having a back rest adjustably secured to the upper end thereof, a second upright spaced forwardly of the main upright, a tie member joining said uprights and retaining them in substantially fixed spaced relation with each other, a vertically disposed support on said tie member, a seat adjustably connected to said vertically disposed support, a pair of seat supports pivotally connected with each of said uprights, the pair of seat supports pivotally connected with the main upright being positioned one on each side of said upright and each being movable in an arc toward and away from said second upright, the pair of seat supports pivotally connected with said second upright being disposed on op posed sides of said upright and each being movable in an arc toward and away from said main upright, and seats adjustably mounted on said seat supports.

8. A device of the character described comprising a main upright, a second upright spaced forwardly of the main upright, a tie member joining said uprights and retaining them in substan tially fixed spaced relation with each other, a vertically disposed support on said tie member, a seat adjustably connected to said vertically dispos'e'd support; a pair of vertically disposed seat supports pivotally connectedthrough tie members with each of said uprights, the pair of seat supports pivotally connected with the main upright being positioned one on each side of said upright and each being movable in an arc toward and away from said second upright, the pair of seat supports pivotally connected with said second upright being positioned one on each side of said second upright and each being movable in an arc toward and away from said main upright, andseats adjustably mounted on said seat supports.

9. A device of the character described comprising two main upright members joined in fixed spaced relation with each other by a tie member, an upright on said tie member having a seat adjustably connected therewith, two pairs of vertically disposed seat supports, said seat supports of one pair being respectively connected to a tie member having a pivotal connection to one of said main upright members and the seat supports of the other pair being respectively connected to a tie member having a pivotal connection with the other of said main upright members whereby the said seat supports may be adjusted to different positional relations with respect to each other and with respect to said main upright members and a seat adjustably connected to each of said seat supports.

10. A device of the character described comprising two main upright members joined in fixed spaced relation with each other by a tie member, an upright on said tie member having a seat adjustably connected therewith, two pairs of vertically disposed seat supports, said seat supports of one pair being respectively connected to a tie member having a pivotal connection to one of said main upright members and the seat supports of the other pair being respectively connected to a tie member having a pivotal connection with the other of said main upright members whereby the said seat supports may be adjusted to different positional relations with respect to each other and with respect to said main upright members, a seat adjustably connected to each of said seat supports and means for locking said seat supports in said adjusted positions.

MARY A. STEWART.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

